Landslide on Rishikesh-badrinath National highway, 155 feared stranded

TIL Desk Gopeshwar/ The Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway was on Friday closed near Vishnuprayag in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district due to a landslide, following which hundreds of pilgrims were feared stranded at different places here.

The highway has been closed near Vishnuprayag, one of the five confluences of Alaknanda river, between Joshimath (alsoknown as Jyotirmath) and Badrinath, the famous pilgrim spot in the hill state. And the afternoon, landslides occurred here after huge boulders rolled down the Hathi Pahar mountain. The area between the highway and Alaknanda river was filled with debris.

District Magistrate Ashish Joshi told that BRO (Border Roads Organisation) personnel are engaged in clearing the roads and it could be opened for the traffic by the Saturday afternoon. He also said efforts are on to provide all facilities to 1,000-1,500 pilgrims who are at Joshimath, Karnaprayag, Pipalkoti, Govindghat and Badrinath. The pilgrims have been asked to stay at these places till the way is cleared.